By Bishop David Oyedepo of the Living Faith Church International aka Winners’ Chapel has finally reacted to reports that the church had fired some pastors, saying the embattled pastors were unfruitful.
Recall BlackBox Nigeria reported that the church relieved the appointment of about 40 pastors for failing to grow their respective parishes, as contained in a viral letter dated June 25, 2021 and signed by the Executive Secretary of the church, Adebisi Aboluwade.
Pastor Peter Godwin, who claimed to be one of the pastors affected in Ekiti State, later corroborated this development.
He said that he was employed on August 28, 2020, and that the state pastor invited him and approximately 40 of his colleagues on July 1, 2021, but they were sacked for failing to increase the church’s revenue.
While speaking to his congregation in response to the decision’s backlash, Oyedepo defended the pastors’ dismissal, claiming it had nothing to do with money.
He went on to say that the church once employed 7,000 people at a time and that no one mentioned it on social media.
“People are confused about our Ministry. I learnt some fellows said, “you know, they are not bringing income, that is why they asked them to go,” he was quoted as saying by The PUNCH.
“We asked you to go because you are unfruitful. Unfruitful! Blatant failure. Doing what there? We have no patience with failure here.
“When we employed 7,000 people at a time, social media was dead. We have more employees in this organisation than most of the states. No one is owed a dime salary and we don’t borrow, we don’t beg. Ask our bank whether we take overdraft.
“We are covenant bound, working in the light of God’s word, enjoying an open Heaven.”
The clergyman added: “Money? Nonsense. We have never lacked it and yet we have never prayed for it.
“We are just simply obeying God and He is backing up what He is asking us to do. Awesome God.”
